Fabrication of copper/diamond functionally graded materials for grinding wheels by centrifugal sintered-casting

Copper/diamond functionally graded materials (FGMs) were designed for use on grinding wheels which are applicable for precision machining of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). These FGMs were fabricated by a novel material processing method: the combination of centrifugal sintering and centrifugal casting. This combination method is referred to hereafter as centrifugal sintered-casting method. A ring-shaped copper-matrix preform including diamond abrasive grains was produced by the centrifugal sintering at first. Molten copper was poured into the fabricated preform by centrifugal casting in order to obtain copper/diamond FGMs. Effects of fabrication conditions (i.e., sintering temperature, holding time and casting temperature) on microstructure of the fabricated copper/diamond FGMs were investigated. Copper/diamond FGMs were successfully obtained by the centrifugal sintered-casting method in optimized conditions. Precision drilling without burring and delamination was achieved in CFRP plates by using copper/diamond FGMs as grinding wheel.